In This Section

DELF and DALF

The DELF (Diplôme d’Etudes en Langue Française/Diploma in French language) and DALF (Diplôme Approfondi de Langue Française/Advanced Diploma in French language) diplomas are awarded in recognition of French proficiency. They are held in over 120 countries and the Alliance Française du Cap is the only accredited test centre in Cape Town. Issued by the French Ministry of Education to certify the French language skills of candidates, the exams are available to both native and non-native speakers.

The DELF and DALF are designed to assess the communicative skills of candidates in a real-life situation using authentic documents, and to evaluate practical language skills (writing a letter, asking for information, exchanging opinions) rather than formal grammatical knowledge. There are six diplomas corresponding to the six-level scale of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Furthermore, the six diplomas that make up the DELF (A1, A2, B1 and B2) and DALF (C1 and C2) are completely independent. This means that candidates are not required to have completed a previous level before registering for the examination of their choice. At each level, four skills are evaluated: listening, speaking, reading and writing.

Not only are these diplomas internationally recognised and accepted, but they are valid for life - an asset whether you are currently studying or already in the working world! It is also worth mentioning that, should you wish to study at a French university, the DELF B2 is the minimum language requirement.

At each level, four skills are evaluated: listening, speaking, reading and writing.

The DELF exams are divided into 2 parts:

Listening comprehension, written production, and reading comprehension are tested in a written exam. The date and time of this written exam is scheduled nationally and cannot be changed under any circumstances.

Speaking and oral interaction are tested in a one-on-one exam. The date and time of this oral exam is communicated to candidates no later than one week prior to the written exam and every effort is made to ensure that the test takes place on the same day as the written component.